Most Bible handbooks tell us that 1 Samuel covers the reign of Israel’s first king, Saul, while 2 Samuel covers the reign of Israel’s second king, David. And while this generalization is chronologically true, it misses a very important point that you will learn in this captivating Bible Study series. Yes, David is crowned king in 2 Samuel, but in so many ways he becomes king in 1 Samuel. And he doesn’t become king by sitting on a throne; rather, he becomes king by walking through trials. God places the character of a king in his heart, long before Israel places the crown of a king on his head.
Of course, David’s story is our story, in so many ways. Before God ever promotes you to the “next level,” you will almost always find yourself walking in that higher level of anointing and authority, but without any position or recognition at first. You receive a new anointing, but then God sends a series of challenging tests designed to beat the flesh out of you, precisely so you don’t explode with pride and arrogance when you finally do arrive at the next level! The transition always has to take place internally before it ever manifests externally, because everything you endure before you become a leader enables everything you will ever accomplish after you become a leader.
We serve a God with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:8), and so it’s not at all surprising that God would take a whole decade of David’s life to prepare him for four decades on the throne. And like David, we have to learn that with our God, delay is not denial. Just because God says “Not now,” it doesn’t mean He’s saying “Not ever.” All of God’s servants have to learn this important lesson, and that’s exactly why the book of 1 Samuel is in your Bible. It is “preached history” – much more than just an historical record, it teaches us critical principles about God’s will and His ways, and shows us how to become a servant “after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).
The DVD-set contains 14 parts on seven discs. The USB includes 720p videos, audio files, notes and powerpoint files.